Multidimensional Poverty Measurement and Analysis: Chapter 1 – Introduction

OPHI Working Paper No. 82

35 Pages Posted: 16 Feb 2015

See all articles by Sabina Alkire

Sabina Alkire

Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative

James E. Foster

George Washington University

Suman Seth

University of Oxford - Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative; University of Leeds - Economics Division; University of Leeds - Faculty of Business

Maria Emma Santos

CONICET-UNS/IIESS and OPHI

Jose Roche

Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative

Paola Ballon

University of Oxford; Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative

Date Written: December 13, 2014

Abstract

This working paper presents the normative, empirical, and policy motivations for focusing on multidimensional poverty measurement and analysis in general, and one measurement approach in particular. The fundamental normative motivation is to create effective measures that better reflect poor people’s experience, so that policies using such measures reduce poverty. Such measures are needed because, empirically, income-poor households are (surprisingly) not well-matched to households carrying other basic deprivations like malnutrition; also the trends of income and non-income deprivations are not matched, and nor does growth ensure the reduction of social deprivations. And, a dashboard overlooks the interconnection between deprivations, which people experience and policies seek to address. Turning to policy, we close by discussing how the Alkire-Foster methodology we present in Working Paper 86 (“Multidimensional Poverty Measurement and Analysis: Chapter 5 – The Alkire-Foster Counting Methology”) may be used.

Keywords: multidimensional poverty, capability approach, Millennium Development Goals, economic growth, income poverty

JEL Classification: D60, I30, O20

Suggested Citation

Alkire, Sabina and Foster, James E. and Seth, Suman and Santos, Maria Emma and Roche, Jose and Ballon, Paola, Multidimensional Poverty Measurement and Analysis: Chapter 1 – Introduction (December 13, 2014). OPHI Working Paper No. 82, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2564702 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2564702

Sabina Alkire

Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative ( email )

Queen Elizabeth House
3 Mansfield Road
Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 3TB
United Kingdom

James E. Foster

George Washington University ( email )

2121 I Street NW
Washington, DC 20052
United States

Suman Seth

University of Oxford - Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative

3 Mansfield Road
Queen Elizabeth House
Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 3TB
United Kingdom
+44 1865 618643 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://ophi.org.uk/about/people/research-associates-and-advisors/suman-seth/

University of Leeds - Economics Division ( email )

Leeds LS2 9JT
United Kingdom
+44(0)1133432629 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://business.leeds.ac.uk/about-us/our-people/staff-directory/profile/suman-seth/

University of Leeds - Faculty of Business ( email )

Leeds LS2 9JT
United Kingdom

Maria Emma Santos

CONICET-UNS/IIESS and OPHI ( email )

12 de Octubre y San Juan
Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires 8000
Argentina

Jose Roche

Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative ( email )

Queen Elizabeth House (QEH)
3 Mansfield Road
Oxford, OX1 3TB
United Kingdom

Paola Ballon (Contact Author)

University of Oxford ( email )

South Parks Road
Oxford, Oxforshire OX1 3QY
United Kingdom

HOME PAGE: http://oxford.academia.edu/PaolaBallon

Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative ( email )

University of Oxford
3 Mansfield Road
Oxford, OX1 3TB
United Kingdom

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